In the last gasps of the previous century, art-emo outfit Joan of Arc put out a record titled Live in Chicago, 1999. Despite the title, it was not a live album, as the band intended for the title’s confounding first word to be read as a present-tense verb. Why do I mention this in a story clearly about Austin-based garage rockers The Strange Boys? Because they’re pulling the same trick. On October 25, Rough Trade will put out Live Music, the group’s third record. IT IS NOT A LIVE ALBUM. IT IS AN ALBUM OF SONGS RECORDED IN A STUDIO. LOOK AT THESE CAPITAL LETTERS.
In fact, it was recorded in not one, but two studios! The record’s Side A was recorded with Spoon drummer and producer Jim Eno in his Austin-located home studio this past April. As for the record’s flip side, that was recorded in Mike McHugh’s Distillery, the same place where they recorded last year’s Be Brave (TMT Review). Here’s the kicker, though: that side was recorded back in December 2010. If Side A was recorded in 2011 and side B was recorded in 2010, that means listening to Live Music is like traveling through time. I declare this new Strange Boys record to be Album of the Year, on the grounds of time travel.
While we’re on the subject of travel (which I think we can all agree that we are), Strange Boys will be doing a little bit of traveling this fall. Actually, they may end up doing quite a bit of traveling, but currently, I can only confirm that they will be traveling to New York and Los Angeles. They are traveling to those places to play shows!
Live Music tracklist:
01. Me and You
02. Walking Two by Two
03. Doueh
04. Punk’s Pajamas
05. You and Me
06. Omnia Boa
07. Mama Shelter
08. Saddest
09. My Life Beats Me
10. Over the River and through Woulds
11. Right Before
12. Hidden Meanings, Soul Graffiti
13. You Taking Everything for Granite When You’re Stone
14. Opus
Strange Boys dates:
10.26.11 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
11.18.11 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
11.19.11 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands
• Strange Boys: http://strange-boys.com
• Rough Trade: http://roughtraderecords.com